Surf Coast Shire Council and the community can take the lead to help foster friendly relationships between pets and people, following adoption of the Domestic Animal Management Plan 2026-29.
The plan outlines how people, dogs and cats can live together safely in the Surf Coast Shire. It highlights the importance of both Council and the community playing their role to manage cats and dogs.
Councillor Liz Pattison said shared responsibility was one of four principles in the plan, along with education and training, knowing the rules, and improving together.
"In four years we want to look back on this plan and give pet owners and ourselves a pat on the back for doing all that we can to make the Surf Coast Shire a place where people, dogs and cats can live together in harmony," Cr Pattison said.
"From a Council perspective there will be a bigger focus on promoting pet registration and the desexing program, we'll work with Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority to improve dog-related signage, and our Rangers will proactively patrol to educate people on responsible pet ownership.
"If you're a pet owner, we want to see things like dogs being under effective control in public spaces, adhering to the cat curfew, picking up after your pet, and being mindful of others.
"We know that the majority of pet owners do the right thing, and we thank them for that."
The four-year action plan supports Council's broader goals of safety, wellbeing and environmental protection. There is an increased emphasis on monitoring data to inform service delivery and assess effectiveness of actions in the plan.
The plan was informed by community feedback via two surveys which attracted a total 660 responses. It included 175 responses on the draft Domestic Animal Management Plan over a three-week exhibition period.
There are more than 5,500 dogs and 700 cats registered in the Surf Coast Shire.
The Domestic Animal Management Plan will be submitted to the Victorian Government, a requirement of the Domestic Animals Act.
